Leatherhead AHEAD - from the Archives

BRING BACK SHOPPING TO 'FORTRESS'
Leatherhead Advertiser April or May 1994

Retailers, home-owners and local organisations fear the disintegration of Leatherhead town centre unless something is done to rejuvenate shopping.

This has lead to calls for a town forum to stop creeping industrial commercialisation of the town. More than 80 businessmen, residents and group representatives, came together at a meeting at the Church Hall on Wednesday to discuss the re-development of the town.

Peter Brennan, owner of Brennan's Restaurant, said "Leatherhead is slumbering from a trading point of view. In the past it was a vibrant town ... but a chemists, a butcher, a menswear shop, grocers and a card shop have all closed in the last four months." He admitted that some of this was because of the general state of the economy. But he added some manmade reasons has also accounted for closures.

"The town does not invite people into it. Customers are always asking us what town they are in and the first signs they see entering the town are for the crematorium. We must advertise the good things: We have a town full of good amenities but we don't sell them."

But he said the worst feature was the fortresslike structure of the town. "We have a huge shopping centre but it prevents people from seeing the quality and character of the town. It also is difficult to get into the centre of town making it difficult to stop and shop. Something needs to be done to open up roads around the town so that people can see the lovely facilities we have around here.

Acting controller of the Thorndike Theatre, Jim Myers, agreed saying that the town centre needed to create more passing trade and this would help to open more stores.

An alternative solution came from John Winter, of the Leatherhead Society, who said: "Leatherhead is a small town and should remain so: it should not become a metropolis. We believe that the High Street should remain pedestrianised but short term parking should be allowed along Church Street and North Street." But he rebuked people who thought there was not enough parking when he said: "There is plenty of parking within range of the towns shops and people should make use of it, rather than waste five minutes trying to find somewhere closer." He also called on landlords to cut their rents to encourage retailers back onto the town rather than forcing to move them to leave empty shops behind.

Ali Knowles, of the Royal School for the Blind, was particularly concerned that the town's facilities could dimish further. She added: "No new businesses are coming into the centre and old businesses are moving out and that is worrying for our residents who rely on the local services in the town."

Vicar of the Parish Church, the Rev David Eaton, told the meeting he believed that a town forum should be formed. He said: "It would give the people of Leatherhead a stronger voice to detail its needs and identify areas of concern." He also held out hope for a Leatherhead arts festival with its focus at the Thorndike Theatre adding that it would encourage people into the town.

Mr Eaton was supported by Martin Cole, of Randalls Park Crematorium. He said there was a need for a representative group. But he also called for better sign posting around the town. "Visitors to the town just can not find their way around," he said. "Drivers are forced to stop and ask for directions before they are able to find their destination." Mr Cole feared the growing intensive commercial development of the town: "About 10,000 people live in Leatherhead and we must fight to try to keep it a small suburban town," he said.

The meeting, sponsored by the parish church, was the third of a series of four seminars entitled "Still at the Crossroads".
The fourth meeting will take place this Wednesday at the Parish Church Hall, Church Road, at 12.30 pm. Guest speaker will be deputy chief planning officer of Mole Valley Council, Clive Smith, who will talk about the Leathtrhead Local Plan expected to be published at the end of March.

italicised words - unsure because they were cut off in original copy